Book IV. of J E S U S C H R I S T. 3xy

Heart that entertains him, with his own glorious Body ? O Grace unfpeakablc .' O Condefcenfion mod amazing 1 O Love unmeafurable! Lord, what is Man, that thou fliould'fl thus vific him ? or whac can he render unto his God for thefe ineltimable Be- nefits ? Alas ! I have no return to make, but a poor worthlefs Heart ,• and this is yet a farther Inltance of thy Goodnefs, that thou expedeft no other Teftimo- ny of Gratitude, but my ieif and my fincere Affedi- on. Thus haft thou made our Duty our grearelt Hap- pinefs : For then fhall my Soul be glad, and all that is within me leap for Joy, when my Heart is perfecftly united to my God. Then (halt thou lay. If thou wilt he minCy I will li'ue and dwell with thee for evtr : And I with humble Joy reply, Difdain net. Lord, this wean and homely Dwellings for I jnoft willingly^ rnuji th.wkftdly^ embrace the offer. Lo I am thine entirely from this moment, and, aho've all things, wi^ and p'ay^ "That the Intimacy and Friendfl)ip thus contracted, mcy continue fir?n and i?.-' ruiolable, that nothing may abate our Lo'ue, and the De- lights of 17 y or e'ver part our Ferfons any mure.
Chap. XIV.
An A^ of Excithg De-votion by thz Example of
Othirs.
Difciple.] /^ How plentiful is thy Good- py^/ ^xxi.
\J nefs, 7uhich thou hafl laid pp for them that fear thee \ When I relied with what ardent Piety, with what afFedionate Devotion, with what an eager Zeal, thy Saints approach this heaven- ly Supper; Shame and Confufion overwhelm me quite, confcious of my own, but lukewarm at the belt, and coo coo often perfedlv ftupid and frozen Heart ;
" Y z with
328 m ti)e limitation Book iv.
with what Indifference and Coldnefs I approach thy Myfteries^ and how unaiFed-ed with thy Mercies, how unprofitable under the gracious Difpenfation^ I return. What a Reproach is it, that my Heart fhould not be all inflamed with the Excefs of thy Love, that I fhould have noSenfe, no Apprehenfion, of my great- eil Happinefs, no Hungrings and Thirftings after it ? But, notwithitanding the moving Examples of many excellent Perfons, fliould ftill continue void of alllm- preffion, fo fcandaloully unlike thofe pious Souls ; whofe Zeal overflov/d in Tears of Joy, whofe Hearts, as well as Mouths, drink greedily at this Fountain of Life, whofe Appetites were fo itrong aS never to be fatisfied, till they had filled themfelves with thy blef- fed Body, and fed liberally, and with a fort of holy Luxury indulged, at this Celeftial Banquet.
A Faith fo eager, fo exalted, plainly confefs'd they felt thy gracious Prefence ; and that jheir Lord was known to them, as heretofore to the Difciples at LnkexxW. Emmatis^ in breaking of Bread, The burn- ing of their Hearts within them was an ir- refragable Teftimony of it. But how far fnort, alas! do I come of their Zeal and Devotion ? Look merci- fully, Lord, upon my Infirmities, and, if an equal Portion of thy Grace be too great a Favour for thy poor unworthy Servant, yet grant me fuch a degree, fuch a fenfe of thy Goodnefs and wonderful Love, that I may be as fmcerely, tho' not fo ftrongly, af- fected with it. If Raptures and Extafies of Delight m.ay not be my Portion, yet deny me not Improve- ment : But let my Faith be ftrengthened, my Hope confirmed , my Love fo warmed with this Sacrament, that, after having once tafted this heavenly Manna, J may never more defire the Ojtiom and Garlick of Egypt^noTinmy Heart turn back from fogood a God.
I know thy Mercy and thy Power, to which no- thing is impoflible, nothing hard. I know thou canft,
and